Soccer (Men)

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Men’s Soccer

Imagine strolling along Constitution Avenue through the heart of the nation's capital and discovering a college soccer game being played on the Mall, with the Washington Monument seen behind one goal and the Lincoln Memorial behind the other. That was the setting for GW men's soccer teams in the '60s and early '70s.

Georges Edeline, who played for GW from 1967 to 1970, served as coach from 1973 to 1981. He was inducted into the GW Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988. Tony Vecchione became coach in 1983 and George Lidster succeeded him in 1987. Lidster's first year was a very successful season with the team finishing 10-5-6 overall and 5-0-2 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The '91 team ended the regular season with a 14-5-1 record overall and 5-2-0 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. GW set a school record for most shutouts in a season with nine in 1991.

Lidster was chosen Atlantic 10 Conference Coach of the Year after the team’s resounding success in 1989 in his second season at the helm of the program. After leading GW to its first regular-season A-10 title in 1992, Lidster was named Co-Coach of the Year.

Under Lidster's direction, the Colonials have made three trips to the NCAA Tournament (1989, 2002, 2004) and 10 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament appearances, including winning league tournament titles in 2002 and 2004 and the 1992 regular-season championship. In 1989, he led GW to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament and a team-record 14 victories, including a 3-1 decision against George Mason on Nov. 11, 1989, which marked the program's first NCAA Tournament triumph. Lidster has been named the Atlantic 10 Coach of Year twice. He was recognized for the first time after the team's highly successful 1989 campaign, his third season at the helm of the program, and he earned co-Coach of the Year laurels after leading GW to its first regular-season A-10 title in 1992. In addition to his conference honors, Lidster was the named the NCAA South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 1987, his first season in Foggy Bottom, after piloting the Colonials to a 10-5-3 overall record and an 8-0-2 mark in the conference. He was one of only eight regional coaches selected nationwide. Early in his stint at GW, Lidster mentored two-time All-American Mario Lone, and had three of his players earn Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors (Kenny Emson in 1987, Lone in 1989 and 1991, and Marcelo Valencia in 1992). In addition, 20 players have earned a total of 35 all-conference accolades and seven players have earned A-10 all-rookie honors on his watch. Many of Lidster's charges have also been recognized on the regional level, including Lone, Valencia, Ben Ferry, who owns the NCAA single-season assist record (24 in 1997), and current Colonial Ben Mortimer, who was a third-team NSCAA South Atlantic All-Region pick in 2004. In addition to their on-the-field success, the Colonials also have been successful in the classroom under Lidster. His 2002 squad earned the prestigious NSCAA Academic Team Award for exceptional academic performance. (GW Athletics webpage [1]

George Lidster, the winningest coach in the 42-year history of GW men's soccer, is in his 20th season at the helm of the Colonials program. Lidster added to his legacy of success at GW in 2004, guiding his team to its second Atlantic 10 Championship in three years and the school's second-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Lidster has amassed a school record 161 victories in his 19 seasons and boasts a career mark of 161-153-44 (.511).

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Author or Source: University Archives subject files
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 21, 2006
Prepared by: G. David Anderson, University Archivist and Historian

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